A practical guide to collecting Japan’s eki stamps

This text was produced by Nationwide Geographic Traveller (UK).

Now ubiquitous in a lot of Japan’s 9,000 stations, the primary eki stamp appeared in 1931 at Fukui station close to the Sea of Japan coast, the place stationmaster Kanichi Tominaga come across the concept of a commemorative stamp after an informal dialog with workers. As soon as put in, the stamp — which included a picture of Eiheiji, an essential Sōtō Zen temple close by — grew to become one thing of a neighborhood attraction.

Quick ahead to the Seventies, when the Osaka World Expo triggered a surge in Japanese home journey. Households had been inspired to discover Japan by rail, accumulating newly put in ‘Uncover Japan’ eki stamps in main stations as they handed by the Japan Nationwide Railways (JNR) community (now generally known as JR, or Japan Railways). By the Nineteen Eighties, the passenger growth was over and JNR’s mounting monetary difficulties prompted them to advertise a second wave of eki stamps as a part of their ‘My Journey’ marketing campaign, which centered on regional attraction and journey off the crushed path.

However the origins of accumulating seals or stamps in Japan could return so far as 800 years to Buddhist pilgrims who gathered ‘stamps’ (nokyoin) for the copied sutras they provided to temples they visited. Within the Thirties, ink seals with handwritten calligraphy grew to become generally known as goshuin and had been collected in a concertina-like e-book referred to as a goshuincho, as a document of the pilgrimages made and benefit amassed. Goshuin stay in style with modern-day pilgrims and travellers alike and may nonetheless be obtained for a small payment at designated cubicles in temples and shrines.

Usually out there within the auspicious vermillion ink of goshuin temple seals, eki stamps are distinctive to the station through which they’re situated. Steadily round, with the placement title operating across the perimeter, their designs function a mix of landmarks, Japanese characters and meibutsu (native specialities) that give them a distinctly Japanese really feel. For instance, the eki stamp at Ryōgoku station in Tokyo incorporates a sumo wrestler, reflecting the neighbourhood’s 1,500-year-old connection to the nationwide sport. In the meantime, the world’s busiest station, Shinjuku — which serves virtually three million each day commuters — has a stamp that mixes photos of the skyscrapers at its West Exit with a unusual depiction of Naito togarashi, a neighborhood heirloom chilli pepper from Edo Tokyo. Stamps can be found at JR and personal railway stations, in addition to many vacationer points of interest throughout Japan.

“Practice is one of the best ways to get round Japan and accumulating eki stamps is one thing everybody can do,” says Archie Peters, an avid collector and journey advisor at InsideJapan Excursions. “I began accumulating eki stamps in a bit of washi pocket book and it grew from there. A part of the enjoyable is discovering the stamps within the station, but it surely additionally makes a fantastic memento to look again on.”

How do I accumulate eki stamps?

Eki stamps are free to gather. All you want is a few paper or a pocket book — and Japan has loads of beautiful stationery to select from. Some stations present paper, and even fairly stamp playing cards, or you should purchase devoted eki stamp notebooks in some station outlets. Find the stamp and ink pad to make an impression into your e-book. Stampers normally have a mark on them to point the highest, however it’s value doing a check sheet first. Some are self-inking however typically you’ll discover outdated wooden-handled stamps and well-used ink pads, leading to a faint impression. To make certain, you would carry your individual ink pad — however don’t use it if the ink color doesn’t match. Make a remark of the stamp location and date so you’ll be able to bear in mind it later. The Railway Museum in Saitama often holds exhibitions that includes replicas of previous station stamps that guests can use, whereas Tokyo Metro Museum has 9 authentic stamps — one for every subway line.

The place can I discover eki stamps?

Eki stamps are normally discovered exterior the station’s predominant ticket gate or on the Midori-no-Madoguchi (ticket counter). Sometimes, you’ll discover one contained in the obstacles or behind the counter on the station grasp’s window. In Tokyo alone, JR East has 78 station stamps, with extra to be discovered within the private-line stations and Tokyo Metro. In Tokyo’s largest stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Tokyo), it’s value asking for the placement or looking on-line beforehand. If you happen to can’t discover the stamp, simply ask ‘Eki sutampu wa arimasuka?’, which means ‘Is there a station stamp?’.

What are stamp rallies?

Japanese railway firms typically maintain limited-duration stamp rallies for which particular stamps might be collected in a particular stamp-collecting booklet or card at designated stations. Occasions typically function nostalgic stamp designs and a prize is normally awarded for finishing it. JR Central just lately hosted a rally celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the Tokaido Shinkansen, whereas probably the most in style occasions is JR East’s annual Pokémon stamp rally.

Which stamps are most wanted?

Each eki stamp is exclusive however some are notably eye-catching, resembling that of Gion-Shijo station in Kyoto, which incorporates a geisha, or Miyajimaguchi station in Hiroshima, which depicts the floating torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine — certainly one of Japan’s high vacationer points of interest. Hiroshima’s station stamp is a 2008 design exhibiting the A-Bomb Dome and the cenotaph within the Peace Memorial Park, with doves flying overhead. The stamp at Kuki station in Saitama is within the form of a chochin lantern, whereas Kamakura’s options the Thirteenth-century Nice Buddha. The long-lasting shinkansen options on quite a few stamps together with Akita’s, the place it seems alongside its namesake, Komachi rice. Because the birthplace of Japan’s railways, Shinbashi’s stamp displays its heritage with a picture of the previous station constructing and the steam locomotive in SL Sq.. The stamp at Nobeyama on the Koumi Line in Nagano is situated on the highest-altitude station on the JR Group’s community, at 4,413 toes.

What about digital stamps?

Digital stamps have gotten more and more widespread, with JR East spearheading the digitisation of station stamps with EKITAG, an app (presently solely out there in Japanese) that enables customers to gather digital stamps by scanning EKITAG touchpoints (NFC tags) utilizing a smartphone. Stamps are collected on the app in a digital ‘e-book’ and customers can add the stamps to their photographs. EKITAG might be present in 1,235 stations Japan-wide, together with unmanned stations, making them straightforward to gather.

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